A/N: Set post-S03E06.
"Thank you," says Sean. "For getting me out." They're sitting on the steps of the RCJ, half an hour after the appeal court declared that Sean was free to go.
Martha shrugs. "It's my job."
"It's more than that, isn't it?" He looks at her. "You kissed me, in my cell, remember?"
"Yeah, I did." Martha looks away. "Don't tell me, you died and went to heaven."
"Look, what Louise said in court…" Martha remembers his ex-girlfriend on the stand, small and vulnerable.
"Did you hit her?" she asks. It doesn't really matter now, all that matters is that Sean is not guilty of murder, but she has to know.
Sean shifts uncomfortably. "It was only the once. I was so angry—"
"Sean!" Martha buries her face in her hands.
"I only went round there to talk to her. She started saying all sorts of things—"
"She said you hit her in the stomach." Martha remembers being on steps like these, her face buried against Clive's robes as he tried to tell her that everything would be alright.
"She came at me. She was shouting and hitting me."
"So you punched her?"
"I've never hit a woman before, or since. I'm so ashamed. I killed people in Afghanistan, but that's the one thing I wish I could take back."
They sit in silence until Martha says, "I'd better go."
He stands up with her and looks at her pleadingly.
"I love you, Ma," he says.
"I love you too," she says honestly. "But it's not enough. Not any more."
He nods, accepting this. Then she turns and walks away, out of his life and back to hers.